A committee will produce more amendments than it has time to debate. The chair decides which ones are debated.
One chair on the team usually handles this. They read every amendment, judge which ones are worth debating, and keep the resolution text updated as amendments pass. See The chairing team.
In MEDIMUN, amendments are submitted in MediBook. See Amendments in MediBook.
SCREENSHOT: /medibook/sessions/22/committees/ga1/debate/control - the submitted amendments waiting for the chair
Prefer constructive amendments. An amendment that adds a clause, sharpens a vague one, or fixes a real gap gives the house something to debate. It also leaves the resolution stronger.
Discourage destructive amendments. An amendment whose only purpose is to strike a clause out produces a poor debate. So does one that guts the resolution until it says nothing.
That is a judgement about the quality of the debate. It is not a judgement about which side should win.
The chair never tells the house whether the thing being voted on is good or bad. A chair who does that will draw a point of order, and deserve it. Choosing which amendments to debate is not permission to steer the result.
The chair's discretion is real, and it ends at a clear point.
Once an amendment has been moved. The chair cannot stop it being debated, unless there is a procedural mistake. Referring to more than one clause is the usual one.
So there are two different moments. Before an amendment is moved, the chair chooses what reaches the floor and can leave weak amendments unheard. After it has been moved, the chair needs a procedural reason to stop it, and dislike is not one.
Some amendments are handled without debate.
If the amendment is about spelling or grammar. It is not debated. The chair makes the change directly and tells the house what was changed.
If the amendment corrects an obvious error. The chair may put it to a vote with no debate. Ask the house whether there are any objections first. Never adopt an amendment without a vote.
There are no friendly amendments. A motion to adopt an amendment without a vote is out of order. Every amendment that is entertained is voted on, including a one word change.
A clause that has already been amended is only amended again in two cases. See Amending an already amended clause.
Debate time is finite. Time spent on one amendment is time not spent on the next resolution.
Count the amendments before you start, and decide roughly how many the committee can take. Tell the house how the time will be split, so delegates understand why some amendments are heard and others are not.
If you are unsure. Ask your co-chairs before ruling. Say the house will wait a moment. It is better to pause than to give two different answers to the same question across one session.